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Broncos-Ravens: A primer for Denver's first Divisional round win since 2005

Except for a Friday walk-through at their Dove Valley complex, the Broncos closed out their week's on-field work Thursday afternoon with the team as healthy as it has been for much of the season.

Among the players on the 53-man roster, only cornerback Tracy Porter (concussion) was held out of the practice. Everyone else participated fully, and Broncos coach John Fox said running back Willis McGahee, still on injured reserve, was on schedule for a potential return for the AFC championship game.

But for the Broncos to get past the Ravens on Saturday and give McGahee his postseason shot, they will have to:

• Keep their word. They've said all season long they don't worry about anything other than the game in front of them. If they stick to that, the football matchup favors them in most categories.

They are at home, they have an 11-game winning streak, Peyton Manning at quarterback and the No. 2 defense in the league.

The two biggest things that could derail them are turnovers — only six teams lost more fumbles than the Broncos this season and none of the six made the playoffs — and for them to play the role of squeaky-tight favorite.

• Take Ray Rice out of the mix. Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said: "One thing we can't do is take our eyes off Ray Rice. He is one of the best in the game. You have to know where he is, coming out of the backfield, running the ball — it doesn't matter. He is No. 1 because if he gets started, it's a long day for us."

The Ravens' offense hasn't been able to move the ball nearly as consistently if Rice isn't part of the equation early in the game. Bernard Pierce has run the ball effectively as a change of pace — he had 103 yards against the Colts on Sunday — but Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is at his best when Rice is repeatedly winning matchups all over the formation.

Rice had a 47-yard catch-and-run on a bailout throw by Flacco just before halftime Sunday that set up the Ravens' first touchdown of the game.

Photos: NFL

• Clamp down on Anquan Boldin once again. When these teams met Dec. 16, the Broncos held Boldin without a catch for the first time since the 2005 season.

The relationship between Boldin's activity and the team's success rate is strong. In the Ravens' victories this season Boldin accounted for 28.6 percent of their receiving yardage, only 18.9 percent in the losses — excluding the regular-season finale when most of the regulars were pulled in the first quarter.

Boldin has been the most vocal Ravens player this week about wanting another chance at the Broncos. Flacco will make a concerted effort to get him the ball, especially early in the game.

• Unsettle Flacco, force an early mistake. The Broncos got an interception return for a touchdown in Baltimore — by Chris Harris — the first time these teams met this season.

It's just the kind of play they need to force in this one. Denver's defense will have crowd noise working in its favor, and the Ravens are expected to play their fifth combination of the season on their offensive line for the game.

Flacco was sacked 35 times this season, and 22 of those came in road games, including three road games when he was sacked at least four times and threw for fewer than 200 yards.

Personnel executives in the league have noted the Ravens' juggled offensive front has struggled with pressure off the edge for much of the year, but the group held the Colts' defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to only one sack combined Sunday with Bryant McKinnie and Michael Oher at the two tackle spots.

• Separate the butterflies from the nerves. Excited over a big game — good. So nervous they play tight — not so good.

The Broncos are a young team overall that has to find a way to walk that line. This is the first divisional- round game in Denver since the Broncos defeated the Patriots here in the 2005 postseason.

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